It is known that Apple smartphones are distinguished by their software durability. The Cupertino company updates its iPhones for many years, which allows them to prosper in the telephone market. Faced with the price of new smartphones, which is still high, and consumers’ desire to adopt an environmentally friendly approach, reconditioned models are on the rise. Two factors which largely explain why iPhones monopolize the first five places in the ranking of the best-selling refurbished smartphones of 2023 published by Recommerce.
In addition to being ecological, the process of buying a refurbished smartphone is economical. As a reminder, this involves refurbishing a used product to give it a second life. In 2023, the iPhone 11 will lead the way in sales of refurbished smartphones. It must be said that this smartphone launched in 2019 features technologies that are not obsolete and that it still benefits from various major updates, such as iOS 17 last September. The high-end smartphone will even benefit from iOS 18, which promises to be an update “ambitious and fascinating”.
In 2nd position, we find the iPhone XR – despite the end of major updates on this device – followed by the iPhone 12. Recommerce notes, however, that the iPhone 12 could have climbed even higher in the ranking. However, the temporary ban on its marketing due to the waves emitted last September affected its sales.
The iPhone 8 and iPhone SE are in 4th and 5th place, no doubt helped by a popular compact form factor and Touch ID instead of Face ID. Some users actually prefer to unlock their smartphone with a fingerprint rather than using facial recognition.
Samsung imposes several of its smartphones
But Apple is not the only manufacturer to stand out in this Recommerce ranking of the best-selling refurbished smartphones in 2023. Samsung, leader in the telephony market, places the Galaxy S10, Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S20 in 6th, 7th and 8th place. High-end smartphones that allow those who prefer the Android ecosystem to iOS to afford power at a reduced price. For example, the Galaxy S20 stood out when it was released in 2020 for its performance in the field of photography and its excellent Amoled screen, as highlighted in our test. A technology mastered by the South Korean manufacturer, which is one of the main manufacturers of tiles.
Apple, however, closes the top 10 with the iPhone 7, equipped with a compact format and Touch ID, and the iPhone 13. We can expect the latter to grab places in 2024, when its predecessors will age and that its reconditioned price will drop in the process.